NEWPORT’s The Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre will have its first live theatre performance in more than a year later this.

The centre will be hosting the only UK date of Meet Fred before it embarks on a six month tour of France.

It will be the first time there has been a live theatre show in the Riverfront’s main auditorium since March 2020 – and kicks off the autumn season for the venue.

Meet Fred is put on by Hijinx and will be at the Riverfront on Friday, October 15.

The Riverfront’s programming assistant, Leah Roberts, said: “This show marks a huge moment for The Riverfront. Our stage has been dark for so long and so to finally be welcoming an audience into our auditorium is a huge event for us.

“We are delighted that the first show we are presenting is the award-winning Meet Fred, we have worked closely with Hijinx in the past and love their work and the meanings behind all of their pieces and to be chosen as the only UK venue before an international tour is such an honour.”

Meet Fred is produced by Hijinx in association with Blind Summit. It explores Fred, the two-foot-tall cloth bunraku puppet who fights prejudice daily. His life begins to spiral out of control when he is threatened with losing his Puppetry Living Allowance (PLA) – when all he wants to do is be a regular guy, get a job and meet a girl.

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The show has dark humour and wit and explored what it means to be different, independence, empowerment, care and social injustice and exposes the situations some of society’s most vulnerable people encounter.

It received rave reviews on a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2016 and has gone on to appear at the World Puppet Theatre-Festival in Charleville- Mézières in France and has been performed for more than 23,000 people across 19 countries.

Ellis Wrightbrook, senior producer at Hijinx, said: “After 235 performances, Meet Fred has been shaped by the immensely talented artists that have been part of the ensemble over the years. Each new actor or puppeteer brings a fresh perspective and energy into the performance, and with this next leg of touring featuring our biggest cast change to date – it feels like we are premiering all over again.”

Meet Fred will be at the Riverfront on Friday, October 15 at 7.30pm. It is suitable for ages 14 and up. It contains strong language and puppet nudity.

The performance will be socially distanced. Details can be found at newportlive.co.uk/covid19guideline

For more information, and to book tickets visit: https://www.newportlive.co.uk/en/events/d0bc9fd0-b1fa-eb11-80e3-00505601006a/